3 Ways to Leave a Good Impression During Your First Interview
Posted March 12th, 2020
As the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. When you come in for your initial interview, impressing the hiring manager as quickly as possible is a must. That way, the remainder of their experience with you is skewed positive, as their first impression was a great one.
Luckily, you have a lot of control over how you’re initially viewed. If you want to leave a good impression during your first interview, here are three ways to do it.
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Practice, Practice, Practice
When it comes to interviewing, practice is your best friend. It gives you a chance to master the handshake and initial greeting, refine your interview answers, and increase your comfort level before the meeting.
Not only will the quality of your responses improve, but you’ll also be more confident during the interview. That all works in your favor, increasing the odds that your initial interactions will be positive.
Before your interview, review common questions that relate to the position. Next, carefully craft your responses, highlighting relevant accomplishments, and quantifying the details. Then, practice the whole interview experience with a trusted friend or family member, including everything from the initial greeting through to the final handshake. Finally, gather their feedback and work to improve, ensuring you are at your best when it’s time for the interview.
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Know Something About the Company
If you want to impress the hiring manager, it’s wise to know a bit about the company. That way, you can weave relevant details about the organization into your interview responses and ensure that your answers are as applicable to the company’s situation as possible.
Plus, it makes you come across as engaged and passionate about the opportunity. It’s the interview equivalent of going the extra mile, and many other candidates won’t take this step.
Do a little research. Look for details about the company’s (or its industry’s) challenges. Review the organization’s recent accomplishments. Read the prospective employer’s mission and values statements. All of those pieces of information could be valuable, so look at them all and see if you can speak to those points.
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Be Positive and Enthusiastic
People who are generally positive and reasonably optimistic often make better first impressions than individuals who are negative or overly pessimistic. By trying to be in the former category instead of the latter, you can increase your odds of impressing the hiring manager.
Smile when appropriate, particularly when you first greet the hiring manager. As you prepare your interview answers, try to keep your language positive. Frame challenges as opportunities and setbacks as learning experiences. By doing so, you’ll be more likely to make a great impression.
Let Bayside Solutions Help You Ace Your Interview!
Ultimately, all three of the approaches above can make a difference, potentially increasing your chances of landing the job. If you’d like to learn more, the staff at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our skilled team today and see how our interviewing expertise can benefit you.
